A Haiku - Communication

The Three "C's" of Communication

"Why can't we all be like that wise, old bird?"

I am referring to the wise, old owl who sat in an oak. The more he heard, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard.

The observation about the owl, ends with the question, "Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?"

My country, in fact all countries, have had great orators. In my opinion, good communication needs good listeners as much as (or instead of) great orators.

Millions of sermons have been given in tens of thousands of churches, temples, synagogues, and mosques, but they might all boil down to what a great communicator answered when someone asked him to say which is the great commandment in the law.

He answered: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind....and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 22:36-40)

The answer was clear. It was concise.

When another asked what he might do to inherit eternal life, he was asked what he understood the commandments to say. He replied with the commandments cited above, but asked what was meant by the term "neighbour." He was given the needed confirmation by being told the story of a compassionate Samaritan who had compassion for a man who had been beaten and left for dead by some thieves. (Luke 10:30-37)

In all the millions of sermons given in all those places of worship, it is hard to imagine a more concise doctrine of religious devotion to God and compassion toward man than what was communicated in those few words

When mankind created the world's enormous variety of languages, he at the same time created the seeds for confusion and conflict.

Listening carefully, repeating and confirming our understanding of what has been said, avoids many of those problems. Knowing the meaning of words adds to our ability to listen intelligently, and to express ourselves clearly and precisely.

Good and lasting relationships are dependent on good communications, and good communications are dependent on being clear, concise, and confirmed as understood.

It's work, but it's worth it.

Written, spoken, or heard....we are communicating.

Communicating by phone, absent the facial and body clues of face-to-face communication, takes special skills, and determined listening. The three "C's" of good communication take on even greater importance when circumstances are not ideal. | Source

What defines a true leader? It isn't just charisma and sensing their power. It isn't just making us afraid so we are mobilized. It's being true, honest, fair, up front, and out front. This Haiku examines leadership.